The present disclosure relates to a sheet conveying device that conveys a sheet while holding the sheet on a conveyance belt by electrostatic attraction and suction attraction, and to an image forming apparatus.
Inkjet recording apparatuses (an example of image forming apparatuses) in which ink is ejected from a recording head onto a paper sheet (sheet) to record an image are generally known. As a type of the inkjet recording apparatuses, there may be mentioned a so-called line-head type inkjet recording apparatus including recording heads for respective colors arranged along a sheet conveyance path. The inkjet recording apparatus of this type incorporates a sheet conveying device that conveys a paper sheet by means of a conveyance belt while the paper sheet is facing an ink ejection surface of each recording head, and ink is ejected from each recording head onto the paper sheet being conveyed.
In addition, a configuration is known in which a paper sheet is held on a conveyance belt by electrostatic attraction by forming an alternating charge pattern in the conveyance belt while the paper sheet is held on the conveyance belt by suction attraction by suctioning the paper sheet through a plurality of through holes formed in the conveyance belt.